Need the right clipper set to shave Lab

Help, my Black Lab is suffering horribly. I moved him into the hot Arizona sun 3 years ago and he's suffering when we go out for our jog! He lives in the pool when not in the house or jogging with me on the golf course. My house? it has a trail of dog hair where ever he walks or sits. I've tried all the brushes/gloves/gimmicks. I need to find the best Clipper Set to use on him to shave him down for the summer months here. He doesn't trust the Groomers to do it unless I'm holding his paw (literally) and I'd just as well do it in his own comfortable surroundings. Any advice on clipper sets? I know how to do it by watching and reading on it but I don't know the best set to use.

Domino

I'm not sure clipping him off is a good idea. The double coat not only insulates from the cold, it also protects from the heat. I do understand that the weather in Arizona get's a tad warmer than here in the UK but could you not time your jogs so that you're running in the coolest part of the day? i.e. at sunrise?

Debs

Helo Christine and welcome to Dogsey
I agree with Surannon the coat will protect the skin from sunburn, the air trapped between the layer of hair should help to insulate against the heat and the dog will probably moult a lot anyway if it is excessively hot,I would not clip the coat.

I don't think Labs were really born to cope with the hot conditions of Arizona, I would only take your dog jogging during the coolest parts of the morning/evening when the sun is down. Also always carry a bottle of water for him (you can buy one on the net in the UK which has a small dish attached), let him have short breaks and make sure he doesn't get overheated. If you think he is too hot pour water over a cloth and lay it on his back to cool him down.

If you really must clip him there are lots of clippers on the net, Oster are a good make... expensive but they shouldn't overheat.


Drinking bottles/dish are halfway down the page here ..

click here

I would definitly not shave him. Fair enough with a long haired dog to be trimmed up that's one thing but I would never shave a dogs fur when it's a type with a natural coat anyway. Labs have a no maintenance coat and I don't believe anything should be done to it in the way of cutting/shaving. No maintenence type coats are just fine as they are.

Unfortunatly in Arizona your dog will be too hot with or without it's coat unless it's in the AC etc. If you shave the coat right down then the dog has less protection against the heat. The coat actually acts to keep hot tempratures out as well as it does to keep them warm when they need it.

I hear too many people shaving down their dogs in hotter climates and it's a real shame when it's dogs like Huskies and even labs. Like I said these to me are the more natural coats as nature intended and shouldn't be shaved at all.

I know it doesn't solve your problem but shaving him down wont either. I know my own two dogs wouldn't even get by in arizona unless in permanent ac.

I would provide heaps of shade, his own fresh water to take a dip in, access to the ac at all times and no structured jogging in the hot temps just very early morning and later at night when it cools down. If he runs and plays of his own accord in the day time/hotter tempratures that's fine but I wouldn't like to think of him having to keep up any sort of a set pace for any lengh of time.

Do you have any hydrotherapy centres for dogs there? If you could afford a few sessions a week that would be great excercise for him when the weather is too hot.

Please don't shave him though

Hi, its actually the undercoat that keeps the dog insulated, the guard hairs (the longer sleeker top hairs) are the ones that help air circulate down to the skin keeping a dog cool. The only way shaving will make your dog cooler would be if it were a dog with tons of undercoat and completely matted making the circulation of air impossible, other than that and you just need to keep on top of the undercoat (the small fuzzy cottony hair under the coat) to make sure it's not building up. To shave your dog will take away the guard hairs that keep him cool and leave a layer of insulating undercoat which keeps him warm, does that make sense? Hope so, like minihaha says, never excercise him in the hottest parts of the days and a wet towel draped over him and one for him to lay on will provide relief if he's too hot.

Agree with everyone here .... such a bad idea to shave a Lab, I am shocked as a groomer how many people bring their dogs for stripping off through the summer and don't believe me when I point out the function of a dogs coat and still insist its done, I feel I need to cover my back should their dog be unfortunate to suffer heat stroke

Dont Shave Your Lab!! Its not going to make things bette for him/her. It will make things worse. Its like if you were to walk around with out clothes on. And like everyone said time your walks differently and make sure to have lots and lots of water. But dont shave your lab!!

Thank you for all your advice! I see what you all are say to me clearly. I WILL NOT SHAVE MY LAB. The Groomer here told me when I had it done last summer that it's a regular occurance here, even with labs, as it only gets down to 95 for cool temps here. I do job in the morning before the sun because at any other time the road is too hot for his pads to be on. But I will take the advice of the many that responded to my question and not shave my lab. I will look into other means to keep my Lab comfortable during the day.

Domino

Can you put a small kiddie pool in the yard for when he is outside??

I know you can buy coats that reflect the heat away from the dog.
I know people who have them, and even on the hottest days, under the coat, the dog is nice and cool.